Voting begins in local elections in England
Citizens in England and Wales, parts of the United Kingdom, have headed to the polls to elect their mayors, local council members, and police commissioners for a 4-year term.
12punto
In England, citizens heading to the polls in 107 electoral districts to determine local governments will cast their votes to decide the London mayor, local council members, and 10 mayors outside the capital.
Voters will also elect 35 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) who will serve in England.
Voting, which began at 07:00 local time (09:00 Turkish time), will continue until 22:00 (00:00 Turkish time).
In the elections, in addition to British citizens, European Union (EU) or Commonwealth citizens in England will be able to vote in their respective regions.
In Wales, the public will head to the polls only to elect the next 4 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs help ensure that police forces operate effectively but do not manage them directly. PCCs appoint chief constables and can remove them from office if necessary.
No elections will be held in Scotland and Northern Ireland, which are parts of the United Kingdom.
'BY-ELECTION' DETAIL
In England, the new Member of Parliament for Blackpool South will also be determined by a by-election following the resignation of former Conservative Party MP Scott Benton.
These local elections will be an important race for the parties ahead of the next general election, which must be held by January 28, 2025, by law.
WILL REPRESENT 8.9 MILLION PEOPLE
In the capital London, 6.2 million registered voters will decide who will govern the city for the next 4 years.
Londoners will head to the polls to elect the new mayor and 25 London Assembly members who will represent the approximately 8.9 million people living in the capital.
According to the latest polls conducted in the country, current Mayor Sadiq Khan is expected to be re-elected to serve in this position for a third term.
WHEN WILL THE ELECTION RESULTS BE ANNOUNCED?
It is anticipated that local election results in many regions will be announced on the night of Friday, May 3, and some over the weekend.
The London mayoral results will be announced at City Hall on Saturday, May 4.
Likewise, the London Assembly members will also be determined on Saturday.